FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- When New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn was 25, like Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson will be when the season kicks off Sept. 7, he signed a five-year, $19.3 million contract extension with the Jets. That was huge money in 1997. It made him the second-highest paid cornerback, behind Deion Sanders.
Based on his experience as a player and coach, Glenn knows the importance of locking in young talent. Gardner and Wilson signed four-year extensions (through 2030) for $120.4 million and $130 million, respectively, last week.
Now, what? New York has a handful of other extension-worthy candidates, namely Breece Hall, Jermaine Johnson, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Quincy Williams.
"We'll see," Glenn said, commenting on whether other extensions are on the team's horizon.
Smiling, he added, "I mean, what did we shell out, 200-something million dollars? [We] have to take it easy a little bit, but I hope so. With the guys that we have here, I hope we'll be able to do that."
NFL contracts aren't always what they seem on paper, but there's no denying that owner Woody Johnson made a strong financial commitment to Gardner and Wilson. They will collect a combined $128 million in actual cash over the next three seasons, according to Spotrac -- the kind of money that opens eyes in the locker room. It sends a positive message that ownership wants to win, players said.
Glenn wants it to become the norm. He wants to become one of those teams that drafts, develops and extends -- forming a winning core that can lead to sustained success. Of course, past regimes said the same thing, but they couldn't execute it.
Of New York's nine first-round picks from 2012 to 2019, only one received a second contract -- defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who re-upped in 2023 for $96 million over four years. Safety Jamal Adams and defensive tackle Leonard Williams were traded before their rookie contracts expired, shipped off for draft compensation. One of the acquired picks from the Seattle Seahawks in the Adams trade turned out to be Wilson, so at least the team parlayed one key player into a better one.
"Those two guys, they are foundational players," Glenn said of Wilson and Gardner. "And I'm glad that we got the deals done because I want them here for a long time. I want to set the precedent here, man. I want to sign all the players back."
That's not realistic, of course. While the Jets are swimming in salary cap room right now (about $32 million), the landscape will change in future years when/if they add a mega quarterback contract to their books. Maybe that happens next year, if Justin Fields has a breakout season. Let's not forget, Aaron Rodgers will account for $35 million in dead money in 2026 after Glenn decided to cut ties with him.
New York has some tough decisions coming up. Let's start with Hall, who was a second-round pick in the same draft class as Gardner and Wilson.
Because Hall wasn't a first-round pick, he got a straight four-year deal, no fifth-year option, meaning he's entering his walk year. He's a gifted running back -- seventh in scrimmage yards (2,944) over the last two seasons -- but he's coming off a so-so year and plays one of the lower-salaried positions. The Jets are planning to use a three-man backfield, with Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, so there are questions about Hall's potential usage.
All signs point to them waiting until after the season to address Hall's contract, if then. If he has a monster year, New York can use the franchise tag to keep him for at least another season. Hall might prefer to wait -- betting on himself to see how his role shakes out in Glenn's three-man backfield.
"I'm not really expecting [an extension] before the season," Hall said. "We have a new head coach, a new GM and, obviously, I wasn't drafted by them. I'm not their guy. So for me, I've got to prove it every day. I've got a chip on my shoulder. I feel like right now, 'OK, it's my last chance.'"
Like Wilson and Gardner, Johnson was a 2022 first-round pick, making him eligible for an extension as well, but his torn Achilles last season disrupted his career trajectory. It makes sense for both sides to wait until next year to discuss an extension, giving Johnson a chance to rebuild his market value. The injury might have been a financial blessing in disguise for the team; it would've been tough to do three big extensions in one offseason.
The Jets professed their faith in Johnson by exercising his fifth-year option, guaranteeing $13.4 million in 2026. As Johnson said in minicamp, "To me, that's them lifting their end of the couch. And now it's my turn to lift my end."
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Vera-Tucker is currently on his fifth-year option. The talented right guard would be a prime extension candidate, but he has yet to play a full season. He was derailed by major injuries in 2022 and 2023, missing a total of 22 games. The new front office, led by general manager Darren Mougey, might prefer to wait until after the season to assuage any concerns about his durability.
Glenn called Vera-Tucker "a great player," adding, "hopefully, at some point, we can try to talk and get something done."
Vera-Tucker said, "It would be great to stay with the team that drafted me. I think everybody feels that way."
Barring extensions, Vera-Tucker and Hall will hit free agency come March. So will linebacker Quincy Williams, who is entering the final year of a three-year, $18 million deal. He has outperformed his contract -- he was a first-team All-Pro in 2023 -- but his chances of an extension were reduced with the regime change. The previous administration was known to be interested in re-upping, according to a source familiar with their talks; the new brass likely will wait on Williams, who is entering his age-29 season.
Bottom line: The Jets face the prospect of a significant talent drain next spring.
For now, they can celebrate Gardner and Wilson, both of whom earned Glenn's immediate trust. Back in 1997, Glenn needed nearly half a season to convince his boss, Bill Parcells, that he was worth a big-time extension. Glenn, who described himself as a good judge of character, didn't need that long with Gardner and Wilson.
"The film," he said, "doesn't lie."